Starbucks will no longer write “race together” on coffee cups, but its campaign to draw attention to race relations is “far from over,” the coffee giant’s CEO said Sunday.
“An issue as tough as racial and ethnic inequality requires risk-taking and tough-minded action,” Starbucks CEO and chairman Howard Schultz said in a press release Sunday. “And let me reassure you that our conviction and commitment to the notion of equality and opportunity for all has never been stronger.”
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The chain raised eyebrows last week with its announcement that instead of patrons’ names, messages promoting racial inclusion would be written by baristas on coffee cups. Employees were also encouraged to engage customers in conversations about race.
Schultz said that the practice of writing “race together” on cups would end on Sunday, as originally scheduled.
He acknowledged that the campaign had met criticism in some quarters, but maintained that “we didn’t expect universal praise.”
“The heart of Race Together has always been about humanity: The promise of the American Dream should be available to every person in this country, not just a select few,” Schultz wrote. “We leaned in because we believed that starting this dialogue is what matters most.”
